Ben & Jerry’s Pledges To Stop Using Genetically Modified Ingredients

I scream, you scream, we all scream for non-genetically modified ingredients in our ice cream? Whether you’ve been screaming for a change or not, Ben & Jerry’s says it’ll remove all genetically-modified organisms from its list of ingredients in the company’s ice cream products by the end of the year.

It’s not going to be easy, the company says on its website, as only 80% of its ingredients are currently non-GMO sourced. A single flavor can have up to 40 ingredients, so the phasing out of genetically modified ingredients could extend into 2014.

Foods with GMOs are designed to resist insecticides and herbicides, which supporters say helps boost global food supply. But those against the ingredients say those chemicals are rough on the environment and could lead to health problems.

Just last year Ben & Jerry’s parent company spent almost half a million dollars to help take down Proposition 37 in California, which would’ve required foods with GMOs to be labeled as such.

We support those calling for transparency and a consumer’s right to know and support the push for mandatory labeling. We ought to all have freedom to choose whether or not we want to eat food that has been genetically engineered. We think this is a fundamental right.